Starz Worldwide Distribution Expands Amedia Output Deal

BEVERLY HILLS/MOSCOW: Starz Worldwide Distribution has firmed up a multiyear, multiplatform content licensing and distribution deal with Russia's Amedia regarding current and future Starz original series and other content.

The agreement covers Russia, Georgia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, and the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania). Through the output agreement, Amedia gains exclusive pay-TV and SVOD rights in Russia, CIS and the Baltics to broadcast Starz original series such as The White Queen, Magic City and Black Sails, a pirate drama from executive producer Michael Bay. Amedia also gains access to Starz Worldwide Distribution’s future Starz original series over the lifetime of the agreement, including Power.

Amedia plans to broadcast each episode of the original series the day after their respective U.S. premieres, first including Black Sails (U.S. premiere on January 25).

Denis Gorshkov, the VP of programming and acquisitions of Amedia TV, said: “We are very excited about expanding our cooperation with Starz. The company is well known in international TV markets with edgy and provocative premium pay-V series. We are happy to deliver such great content to Russian audiences via our PAY and SVOD services. An exclusive output deal with Starz—along with previously concluded output deals with HBO, CBS/Showtime and Fox—is a logical step to strengthen Amedia as a Russian home of premium TV content from leading international studios.”

“Starz Worldwide Distribution is very pleased to expand the distribution of its current and future pipeline of quality Starz original series programming and other licensed TV/movie content with Amedia,” said Gene George, the executive VP of worldwide distribution for Starz. “Starz original series are truly global in their appeal as witnessed by several new output agreements. We eagerly anticipate the first new series from this agreement with Amedia, Black Sails, debuting in Russia and the region beginning on January 26.”